


The Curse

by StakeTheHeart



Series: Horror of Our Love [3]
Category: Victorious
Genre: F/F, Hint of Bori
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-03
Updated: 2015-04-03
Packaged: 2018-03-21 00:15:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3670305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StakeTheHeart/pseuds/StakeTheHeart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Vega family has been cursed and Tori finds out why.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Curse

I had been moving all my life. Ever since I was little I remembered my family never stayed in one spot. It was either for financial reasons or my parents' job required them to. It made me a home body. I didn't see any reason to go out and meet people or gain friends because I knew we would just move again. At first I hated it, but as I got older I stopped minding it. There was no use complaining over something I had no power to change so I just accepted it. That is, until I was old enough to strike out on my own. As soon as I was able I left and found a little place of my own to settle in for more than a year. In fact, I was going on two years on my own. I was now twenty three and living freely. I made a friend almost as soon as I moved out. Andre was an easy going guy who quickly became my best friend. Then there was the other guy I met, Beck. I wasn't looking for a boyfriend but he charmed his way into my heart. We were together six months now. With them two taking up all my free time and work added in the mix I was happy to be where I was.

I lost touch with my still mobile family. My older sister sometimes contacted me. Truthfully, that was all I needed. I didn't find the need to track them down just so I could spend some time with them. And why should I? They hadn't tried to stop by and see me either. But then even my sister stopped contacting me after a while. I continued to keep them out of mind until that decision was shattered the day I came home from an outing with the guys to see a strange blank envelope in my mail box. I had decided to stop by and collect my mail before going inside when I saw it. I turned the slightly heavy envelope around in my hands on my way in the door. I took off my light jacket and sat down at the small dining area of my apartment. My nimble fingers tore it open and slipped out the paper inside along with two keys, one bronze and one black. I observed each one before setting them aside and turning my attention to the letter. The writing was hastily scribbled across the paper but I still knew who it was from.

"Trina?" I whispered with a raised brow. I felt an odd tingle down my spine when I smoothed out the paper so that I could read it. The corner was smeared with what looked to be red ink but I didn't pay it much attention and started to read.

_Tori,_

_If you're reading this then Robbie pulled through. I wish I could say I would kick his ass should he have failed, but as it is, I'm most likely dead by now._

"Wait, what?!" I exclaimed. I reread that first sentence and my eyes stung. I couldn't believe the implication that my sister might be dead.

_Sorry for dropping that on you little sis, but its true. Things have gotten worse for us since you left. Now don't go thinking you caused any of it, because you didn't. I know how you think, so just stop._

I looked away to let out a sad chuckle. I wasn't particularly close to my parents and not as close to my sister as I wanted to be but Trina still knew me well enough.

_Anyway, I had to warn you somehow and this is the only way I can think of. Prepare yourself for more hard news because mom and dad are dead._

"What the hell?!" I yelled again. I shook my head, wondering if this was all a joke, but a feeling in the pit of my stomach told me it wasn't. I forced myself to keep reading.

_God, I am so sorry, Tori. I would have wanted you to never know any of this but you're in danger. Listen, it's time you know why we kept moving. It wasn't for the reasons our parents told us. Now, you might think I've gone crazy when I tell you, and I would have agreed with you a year ago, but it's all true. I say this with the most serious face I can pull off._

I laughed weakly, imagining the scowl my sister wore when she was indeed serious. The scowl I would no longer see in person. If what Trina said was true, then all I had left of my family was memories and pictures. I prepared myself for the worse and continued.

_Our family has been cursed._

Despite the preparation, I still stopped to reread that sentence over just to make sure I read it right. Curses weren't real were they?

_Yeah, you read that right. Our family has a curse that was placed on us a really, really, really long time ago. It's a family curse that has been plaguing us since one of our ancestors were cursed. The reason, you may be asking? Well, it turns out he was a cold blooded killer. Yep, you read right again. Apparently he killed this chick he had been seeing. He got off on murdering innocent girls after having his fun with them. It got so bad that he didn't even notice when his latest victim was the daughter of the most well-known cult leader around. He was so pissed that he cursed our ancestor without him knowing and then acted as a protector against anyone who tried to persecute him for his murders. He was kept safe to let the curse flourish, you see. When it was finally strong enough it killed him. How, no one knows, but he was found torn to pieces one day. The incident is still a mystery. What's even more mysterious is the string of deaths down our family line all ending the same way. It's a miracle we've been able to carry our line this long. I think we were only lucky so far._

I shivered. Would it come find me now or slowly make itself known? And would I be as successful escaping it as my family had been until now or would I die sooner than them?

_Don't you see, Tori? The curse is meant to punish us for what he did all those years ago. Some demonic thing is hunting us down one by one. Dad only lasted as long as he did because he made it hard for it to find him by constantly moving just as our grandparents had done until they met their fate. I think we had a pretty good chance until it caught up to dad. It hurt him really bad and he couldn't move anymore. We had to stop and we were sitting ducks._

A sob escaped my lips and tears blurred my vision but I wiped them away so that I could keep reading.

_Dad was first, then mom, and then it started going after me. I saw it. Not clearly, but I swear it wasn't a huge scary creature like I thought it would be. It was more of a human sized shadow that moved so quick. It managed to gash me across the arm before I could do anything. I knew that was my warning that I was next. I had one thought, to warn you before it came back for me. It hurts me to tell you this, but you have to face it before it finds you. You have to do what all of us have failed to. You have to stop running and find a way to stop it. Find a way, because if you don't, I have a bad feeling that it will let you live long enough to start your own line, just so that it can keep killing us, so that the curse can carry on. I don't know about you, but I would rather our line die out instead of it doing this forever to our future children, don't you think? Shit, I'm so, so, sorry, Tori. I really am. I'm sorry for everything, for not being there for you. We were just so scared that it would get you that we thought we could keep it busy enough to leave you alone. But I realize now that it was a lost cause. It's up to you now. Stop that thing. For us, but mostly for you. I couldn't bear the thought of it torturing you and your future family. I love you, Tori. I wish our life could have been better but always remember that although we were distant we never stopped loving you. Good luck, baby sis._

_Trina_

_PS. Bronze=House & Black=Basement_

I had no idea what that meant but I didn't care at the moment. The closer I got to the end of the letter the hastier the penmanship became, like she was being chased at that very moment. More tears fell from my eyes to drip on the paper, smudging the ink on the letter I held. They joined the dried tears that I knew Trina shed when she wrote this as some parts of the paper were already wrinkled with water damage. I wiped a hand over my cheek, dropped the letter on the table, and then covered my face. I soon let myself slump over and rested my head on the table. The grief tore at me until I was too tired to stay awake anymore. I fell into a dark dream filled with stalking shadows, a pale face, and sharp teeth that tore flesh savagely. I jumped awake and looked around my dark apartment anxiously. Suddenly, being alone brought chills creeping across my skin. I gripped my arms and stood up stiffly. My body ached from sleeping hunched over the table for so long. I glanced at the clock to see it was the middle of the night. I scooped up the letter and keys then headed to my room.

I stashed the letter in a book in my shelf and set the keys on the shelf next to it. It was technically already the next day so in a few hours I planned to find our family friend Robbie and his wife Catarina, or Cat as we called her. They were the last living people I could go to who might have answers. I sighed heavily and got dressed for bed. Once I was curled up under the blankets I let my mind wander and of course it went to the news I received. I ended up crying myself to sleep. By morning I felt like I didn't get any sleep. I didn't remember my dream but I was glad because I was sure it wasn't a good one. I got up and got ready to leave, snagged a quick on-the-go breakfast, and then headed out to my car with the letter and keys in my pocket. Their house was an hour, almost two, away but I had to get answers. I pulled into their driveway and got out. I jogged up to the front door and knocked, slightly impatient. Cat answered the door.

"Tori! It's great to see you. Oh…are you ok?" she greeted, her face going from happy to concerned. I knew it was because my expression was currently creased in despair. I shook my head as an answer and she pulled me into a hug. We stood there hugging and only parted when Robbie walked in.

"What's going on? Tori?" he questioned. I pulled away from Cat and made my way over to him while Cat shut the door. I yanked out the now crumpled letter from my pocket and waved it in his face.

"What the hell is this!?" I demanded. He leaned away so I wouldn't hit him in the face with it and raised his hands to push it down.

"Tori," he coaxed quietly. I bit my lip to stop the sob building in my throat but it broke through anyway. Robbie was hugging me now as I cried. They both directed me to a seat on the couch and then sat down to wait out my crying. When I had control again I gripped the letter in my hand tightly and looked from Cat to Robbie. They were six years older than me and knew our family for so long that I was told they were my aunt and uncle. They weren't related to me, something I was grateful for at the moment, but they were still the last thing I had that I could call family.

"Trina sent this to me. She said she had you deliver it. Is that true?" I questioned Robbie. His brows furrowed before he answered.

"Yeah, why?" he confirmed.

"She didn't give you a reason?" I inquired next. He shook his head.

"No. She just burst in here and commanded that I give it to you. I tried to stop her from leaving, because she was injured, but she ignored me and ran right back out. I hadn't seen her in so long that the whole thing caught me by surprise. I wanted to chase her but she was already gone and I wasn't sure where she went so I just did as she told me to do. You weren't home so I left it in your mailbox," Robbie explained.

"What's going on?" Cat asked in confusion.

"They're gone guys. My family is gone," I forced out painfully.

"What?" Cat gasped, a hand over her mouth.

"How do you know?" Robbie questioned.

"The letter. Trina told me…things. She explained it all in the letter," I answered. Robbie moved to take it from me but I pulled away.

"You can't read it. All you need to know is that they were killed and that I'm going to avenge them," I stated, my expression as well as my voice hardening.

"Tori, that's stupid. We can't let you go off looking for a murderer! Let the cops deal with it!" Cat exclaimed.

"Look, I only stopped by to see if you knew anything that could be useful. That's all. So any information you have I need it and then I'll be on my way. Don't even try to stop me," I told them with determination drying my tears.

"I-we-but-ugh, fine. What do you need?" Robbie stuttered but eventually gave in.

"Robbie!" Cat reprimanded.

"What? She won't listen to us! You know it's stupid to try and dissuade her at this point," he replied. Cat sighed but nodded.

"Yeah, I know," she agreed reluctantly. Robbie patted her on the back and then turned to me.

"What do you need?" he repeated.

"Do you know where they were living last?" I began.

"I'm not sure if this is still their current whereabouts but the last place I knew them to be was at this house over in Colorado. I can give you the address if you want," he offered, getting up. I nodded and stood up too.

"Thank you," I responded. He nodded and left to get a pen and paper to write it down on while Cat looked at me with worry.

"Don't, just don't give me that look," I told her, turning away.

"Running headlong into a hunt for their killer isn't going to help anyone, Tori," she warned me.

"I have to try," I muttered, my hands clenching. She sighed but said nothing more. Robbie came back and handed me a slip of paper. I glanced at it and then slipped it into the envelope with the letter and keys.

"Thank you. Hopefully I'll see you guys again," I said in farewell. Cat whimpered and Robbie looked down. I pulled them both into a long hug and then stepped away.

"No calling the police, ok? This is something I have to do. I swear I'll let you guys know when it's all over. If I don't, then you'll know what happened," I mumbled. I released them and walked out of the house without looking back. I got in my car and pulled out the address again. That was a very long drive, but at such short notice I couldn't get a different form of transportation. Like Trina said, I had to find this thing first. I went back home and packed a backpack of essentials and then began the long drive. I only stopped to rest at night in hotels but otherwise I kept at it, never stopping. By the time I crossed into Colorado I was tired. I stopped at a hotel close to where the address was located and rested before heading back out again. I took a bus instead since I was done driving. I was dropped off a street down and followed the directions on my phone until I stood outside the house I was looking for.

I fished in my pocket for the bronze key and then walked up to the door. I slipped the key in and turned it then withdrew it to place my hand on the handle. I took a deep breath before entering. It was cold inside and just as dead as the inhabitants. I shivered as I looked around. I spent the next few hours searching the rooms. Nothing was out of the ordinary until I stepped into what must have been my parent's room. I heard the house creak somewhere below me and then the feeling of something touching my arm, dragging a cold finger over my skin. I yelped and spun around but saw nothing. My heart was beating erratically and I wanted nothing more than to leave, but I couldn't. Suddenly, a sharp pain lanced through my head and I held it in my hands. Images of my mom and dad meeting their end lit up my mind like lightning strikes until I was crying for them to stop, falling to my knees and begging whatever it was that had a hold of me.

"Stop! Stop! Please!" I cried, curling up on the floor. A flash of Trina's blank gaze was the last to assault my mind before I was released. Tears flowed down my face as I laid there trying to catch my breath. I was convinced that the thing I was looking for was here. I opened my eyes when the pain in my skull began to fade and screamed in shock when I was met with the sight of bare feet standing right in front of me. I was too scared to follow the legs up and slammed my eyes shut instead, hoping it would go away. That same cold touch ghosted over my face and a haunting chuckle made me sick.

" _Vega,_ " a voice blew through the air. I grit my teeth and then cried out when nails suddenly dug into my jaw.

" _Look at me and accept death,_ " it spat, tightening its grip. I refused to open my eyes even after I was dragged off the floor and tossed at the wall. I stayed down, tears silently falling again. I heard it walk closer and then suddenly it was silent. I reluctantly opened my eyes and saw that I was alone again. Something tickled my face and I brushed at it to find that I was bleeding. I pushed myself off the ground and stood up on my unsteady feet. I back tracked to the bathroom I had found earlier and stepped in to look at myself in the mirror. I reeled away with another scream tearing from my throat when I looked into the mirror and saw past the cuts on my face to a figure standing behind me. I stumbled and fell over. I remained on the hard tiled floor a moment longer, gasping for air, before getting up again slowly. I glanced around to see no one.

"Fuck," I whispered under my breath. How did my family deal with this? How long have they been dealing with this before they were finally killed? How much time did I have left? I shook my head and pulled myself up using the counter. I hesitantly looked into the mirror again, only seeing my gashed face staring back with wide, frightened, eyes. I took time to clean up and then left the bathroom. I remained alert as I walked to the living room. I had to figure out how to stop this thing. I contemplated whether I should stay to search the house longer or leave for today and go back to the hotel. I definitely didn't want to be here when it got dark. Who knew what would happen if I did that. With that I decided to leave. I walked stiltedly to the door and yanked on it only to realize that it wouldn't open. I yanked on it harder but it didn't budge. I frantically searched for a keyhole I knew wouldn't be on the inside but I did it anyway.

"No, no, no. Open! God dammit! Open!" I shrieked. I screamed for help and banged on the door before rushing to find an alternate exit. All other ways out were the same. Every door and window was locked tight. I fell to my knees and leaned over on my hands, panting heavily. Laughter echoed through the house, smug and triumphant.

"Fuck you!" I yelled back. I remained on the floor a moment, trying to pull myself together, and then I knew what I had to do. I searched my pocket and pulled out the black key. I looked to the nearest window and saw that the sun had gone down. It made me nervous to go looking for this thing now that it was dark but I had no other choice. I was already locked in. I had nowhere to go but forward. I stood and squared my shoulders. I squeezed the key in my hand and marched to the door I had seen earlier. It was in the kitchen on the far wall. It looked like a closet but I knew it had to be the door to the basement. I walked over and tried the knob and it opened to a small closet with shelves of spices and canned goods on either side of me. I tilted my head in confusion, refusing to believe that was all it was. I stepped in and pulled the string above to light the small area. I searched along the back wall and soon found a keyhole and a very thin seam that I ran my finger over.

" _Vega,_ " the voice beckoned to me. I shuddered and stiffened at the cold hand gripping my shoulder. I flung out my arm in an attempt to strike, spinning around. All I met was air. It wasn't there this time. I regulated my breathing and hoped my heart wouldn't give out. I slid the key in the lock and turned it. The panel of wall pushed in and I pulled out the key to push it further. The small landing on the other side was illuminated enough that I could step in and see halfway down the stairs. Beyond that was shrouded in darkness. I gulped but pulled out my phone to use as a flashlight. As I searched for the app that would give me the light needed I noticed that I had no reception. I stepped back into the pantry and the bars shot back up, but when I walked forward they disappeared again. It was like a dead zone. I turned on the flashlight app and first inspected my surroundings. The walls had weird symbols carved into the concrete walls. I followed a complex set of them behind the door to a bigger symbol etched into the back of the door.

Whatever it was it had to be what kept the thing from going anywhere. Maybe Trina or my parents made these to trap it here so that it couldn't find me? I pushed the door back open so I could beat a hasty retreat if necessary and then began taking the stairs down. My knees were quaking with every step but I forced myself to go on. It got colder and colder the further I went and by the time I was standing at the bottom I could see my breath in the air. My body was shaking now, from the cold or fear I didn't know. This made the light shaky as well as I swept it around the room I was in. The whole place was covered in the strange script. I walked forward and shivered when a cool breath hit my neck followed by something gripping my wrist. I let it tug me lightly in a different direction. I went the way I was guided and came to a tattered book sitting on a wooden pedestal. I reached out and carefully opened it to the inside cover where the name Johnathan West was written in an elegant cursive. I ran my hand over it and then began flipping the old pages.

"What is this?" I whispered as I looked at more of the strange words and symbols. If I didn't know any better, or maybe I should since some pages contained gruesome images as well as creatures I've never seen, I'd say I stumbled upon an occult book of some sort.

" _Father's book,_ " the voice spoke in my ear. Instantly I was aware of the presence behind me. I yelped and jumped away to hit the wall with my back. I dropped my phone and it hit the dusty floor with a crack running through the screen. The light flickered but stayed on, revealing the figure standing over it. This time I refused to avert my eyes. I had to see what I was dealing with. I shakily dragged my eyes upward, over torn pants to a ripped shirt, and then up to the shadowy face of a girl no older than me. She didn't look monstrous in any way but the longer I looked at her the more I was drawn in. She was beautiful actually with her round pale face framed by pitch black locks of hair. Her eyes looked to be a light color but I couldn't really see. Once my eyes locked with hers they began to darken.

"Y-your father?" I stuttered. She nodded and stepped over the bright device at her feet. The light lit up her face for a fraction of a second, momentarily highlighting a gruesome visage that made me flinch back. I didn't even know if what I saw was real or my eyes playing with me. I didn't have time to dwell on it because now she was right in front of me. She scrutinized me a moment longer than I felt comfortable with before speaking.

" _He tricked me. He said he loved me but he lied. I hate him and I hate that you look like him,_ " she growled. Her voice warped towards the end to come out guttural, freezing me to the floor in fright. She was breathing heavily now, anger radiating off her. Her nostrils flared and then her reserved frown became a scowl. She shot forward and slammed me back against the wall. Her irises began to spark and then they glowed yellow while a murderous smirk twisted her mouth and revealed sharp teeth.

"D-do you mean my ancestor? I'm so sorry for what he did, b-but I'm nothing like him! My f-family wasn't at all like him either! You have to s-stop this!" I demanded, but my high voice due to fear took away from the small amount of confidence I had. A chilling laugh came from her before her cold hand, tipped with lethal black nails, gripped my neck. She squeezed and I choked before she loosened her grip and leaned in.

" _My father tried his best to bring me back the only way he knew how. I was reborn with the power to get back at that bastard Vega, and I intend to make every one of you suffer for what he did to me,_ " she snarled. Her fair features were shifting along with her fury. Her ears grew pointed and smooth black horns curved out the top of her head. Her other hand joined in strangling me and she bared her teeth at me.

"P-please, I want to h-help you!" I gasped out, desperate for something, anything that would stop her.

" _Shut up, Vega!_ " she snapped spitefully. I gripped at her arm and coughed, trying to breathe and failing.

"If you kill me now how will you get to torture the future Vega line?" I questioned, my panicked oxygen deprived brain managed to remember. Her grip loosened and I breathed a sigh of relief.

" _I'm not done with you yet,_ " she whispered. Before I could question what that meant, she dragged sharp nails over my stomach and dug the nails of the other into my neck slightly. I cried out but bit back the rest only for her to hiss at my defiance and tear deeper into my hip bone. I screamed and pushed at her in blind pain but she just laughed.

" _The last Vega is always fun to play with. Drive them to insanity until they no longer want to live then disappear so that they're lulled into false hope, giving me more to play with and kill,_ " she mumbled, pleasure in her tone. My stomach churned with nausea.

" _They used my own father's book against me. How about you get me out of this house and I'll leave you alone?_ " she bargained. I was seconds from agreeing but I stopped my thoughts from leaking out my mouth. She wanted me to give in. She wanted me to agree. She said it herself. She would torture me until I wanted out of this nightmare. She would leave me alone alright, and then return for my family. I glared at her, making sure she knew that I was aware of her trickery. Her falsely calm expression morphed back into anger when she realized my silent refusal.

" _Fine!_ " she roared. She pushed away from me, her nails leaving trails across my collarbone and hip. I cried out and fell to the floor. I looked up just in time for her to disappear into the darkness surrounding me. I crawled to my phone and gripped it in my shaking hand. I pushed myself up and dragged myself to the stairs, determined to get the hell out of there. I climbed the stairs with some difficulty and stopped at the top when a roar found its way up to me. Suddenly a force tossed me back into the kitchen. I hit the floor hard and the hidden door slammed shut. A click sounded and I knew it was locked once more. I laid there panting and clutching at my injuries. When I felt I could get up I sluggishly looked for the bathroom where I washed and patched myself up the best I could. As soon as I saw the type of medical supplies they had under the sink I wondered how much pain my family had to go through before they were finally put out of their misery. To think that all this time this is what they were dealing with and I was complaining that they were ignoring me. I couldn't believe I childishly ignored them. What the hell was I thinking?

When I was cleaned up and felt a little better I tried the front door again. To my surprise, it opened. Without thinking I threw myself out the door and ran down the street. I neglected to check the time, but when I looked at the damaged screen of my phone I saw that no buses would be running at this time. I began walking back instead while staying on a bus route should I still be walking when the first buses began their rounds. Unfortunately I already made it back to the hotel just as the first bus drove by. I sighed tiredly and pushed myself the rest of the way to my room where I collapsed on the bed and slept all day. I woke up from my dark dreams by that cold touch drifting idly down my back. I shot up in bed, expecting to see her there, but she wasn't. I groaned and fell back to squeeze my eyes shut. I was imagining things. I had to be. She couldn't leave the house. I repeated this to myself over and over until I was somewhat convinced and I could go back to sleep. I woke up with the morning sun on my face. The day was warm and I was happy to feel it. I climbed out of bed and ordered room service so that I could eat. My phone chimed with a message and I looked at it.

"Fifteen messages and seven missed calls?!" I gasped, my eyes widening. When did this happen? I checked the time and saw that some were around the time I was in the basement while the others came when I was knocked out. I had to have been sleeping heavily to miss it since normally I was a light sleeper. The calls and texts were from Andre and Beck. When one didn't get an answer the other had been alerted so that they both tried to get a hold of me. My phone began to ring as I went through the frantic messages and I saw that it was Beck. I answered to hear him take off ranting.

"Tori, why haven't you answered? I was worried about you. This isn't like you at all. You scared me. What's going on? Are you ok?" he babbled. I rolled my eyes, too tired to care at the moment.

"I'm fine," I answered simply. I had no time or desire to explain this all to him. Also, if I did, I was sure he would come racing over, most likely with Andre tailing him, and then I would have put two more people in harm's way. I couldn't let that happen.

"No you aren't! Tori, you sound so…monotone. Are you sure you're ok? Where are you?" he continued to question.

"I needed time to myself. I was told that my family…they got in a car accident. They didn't make it," I explained, faltering through my quickly thought up lie.

"Oh my god, Tori. I'm so sorry. Where are you? Robbie knows doesn't he? If you don't tell me I'll ask him myself and then go over there. We can-" he began, but I cut him off.

"No, stay where you are. If you come running then Andre will want to come and I just want to be alone," I told him.

"But Tori…" he disagreed.

"Beck, please," I begged, tears gathering in my eyes now for no reason besides maybe stress and feeling so vulnerable. I heard him sigh heavily.

"Ok, I understand. But Tori, at least tell me where you are. Just in case. I won't come looking for you. I just have to know," he responded hopefully.

"You better not," I replied, trying to strengthen my voice. He laughed and I felt a little better hearing the sound. A knock at the door made me jump but then I realized it was room service.

"I gotta go. I'll text you where I am but I have to eat right now," I said, walking over to answer the door. The bellhop greeted me with a smile and a wave. I nodded and gestured for him to come in with the cart. I heard Beck say something but his voice was just noise in the background because I was frozen solid the minute I lifted my eyes up to see her standing in the hall. She smirked at me, fangs bared. I jumped again when a hand touched my arm.

"Miss? You ok?" the bellhop questioned me. It took me a moment to realize that the hand on me was warm and not cold. I relaxed a little when I looked to him. He was silently questioning me but I didn't reply. I just nodded. He stared at me a second longer and then shrugged. He left and I shut the door, seeing that she was gone now. I had to be seeing things. Sounds from my phone reminded me that Beck was still on the line.

"Yeah?" I said into the device. Even I had to admit that my voice sounded hollow, but I was just so tired.

"Victoria Vega, you better be ok because I'm trying my hardest to stay put!" he warned me.

"I'm fine. Let Andre know I'm ok too. Talk to you later, Beck," I told him.

"Ugh, ok. I'll call you later. Love you," he said. For reasons unknown to me I hesitated before replying.

"Love you too," I said in return. The thing was, I wasn't sure if I meant it. A heavy feeling settled in the pit of my stomach and I grimaced.

"Bye," he said in farewell, his voice calming somewhat with my answer. Could he not hear the falsity in my voice like I could?

"Bye," I replied. I hung up after that and turned to my breakfast that I didn't feel like eating anymore but I took it to the table and started on it anyway. I needed all the energy I could get if I was going to go back to that house. Once I was done eating I jumped in the shower and got ready to leave. I didn't want to take even one step into that house but I had to figure this all out for good. I had to either convince her to leave me alone or get her to kill me. There really wasn't any other available choices. And while I wanted her to spare me anymore pain it would just transfer to the future generations. I had to end this here, whatever it took. I marched up to the door of the house of hell and entered. My stomach threatened to expel my breakfast but I continued.

As soon as I shut the door it was like the world outside was blocked out and my surroundings were silent. I felt like I could sense her nearby but I couldn't see her. I began wandering the house, simply waiting for her to reveal herself whenever she wanted to. I was mostly ready for her. I ended up going through the closet in my parents' room. I found an old trunk filled with stuff from the past, a past that could help me figure all this out. I dug through and pulled out a really old photograph. It was fragile and practically falling apart but I could make out a young man that did kinda look like me. The writing at the bottom confirmed it. The first name was too faded to read but I could make out my last name. I felt her before I heard her. The cold breeze settled around me. Her clawed hand gripped my shoulder as she leaned over me.

" _Vega,_ " she spat hatefully.

"You loved him, didn't you?" I asked her, boldly fishing for some information that could help me understand the situation.

" _It doesn't matter. He didn't love me,_ " she responded. I thought I heard a hint of sadness but the bitterness quickly covered it. My next question required a little more strength to ask, so I had to force it out.

"W-what did he do?" I questioned her. A rolling growl was my answer before she dragged me off the floor. I dropped the photo and she proceeded to slam me back into the wall.

" _What did he do? He worked his way into my heart, made me think he loved me, and then ended my life! All for his sick entertainment! He was the monster and now he made me one too,_ " she answered. The demon under her skin made a brief appearance before fading again. It was a sign that she wasn't too upset yet.

"And that's why your father resurrected you," I nudged her to continue.

" _Yes. What he practiced was against everything the church taught. He was a very controversial man. He wanted power and sought ways to obtain it. After I died he succeeded in gaining the attention of a demon who agreed to lend its power to bring me back. It was the best he could do but it was all I needed to get my revenge,_ " she explained.

"Why not move on? You've killed all this time. Doesn't it get old?" I inquired, hoping that would work. She laughed wickedly and eyed me with a predator's deadly intent.

" _Oh no, it's much too fun,_ " she stated, her voice dipping into a purr I had yet to hear from her. Where was I going with this conversation? I just wanted it all to end. I needed to find a solution, and fast.

"But you're no better than he is! Don't you see? He killed you and all those girls in cold blood and here you are doing the same thing!" I yelled at her. She tightened her hold on me but her eyes were downcast now, a frown on her face. Was I getting through to her?

" _I-I…_ " she hesitated. I stared at her, my face going from curiosity to horror when that smirk returned and she began to laugh.

" _Nice try. I love messing with my prey. You really think I give a shit if I'm just as bad as him? All I want is revenge and I couldn't care less how to get it,_ " she clarified. She smiled in a creepy way and then traced under my jaw before drifting down my body, traveling to the many wounds she inflicted. She stopped to rest at my hip.

" _How are you fairing so far, Vega? Are you up for more?_ " she taunted, her nails digging into me again. I whimpered and gripped her wrist, panic in my eyes as I subconsciously begged her to stop. She did, but with a knowing grin.

" _That was the look he gave me before I tore his body apart. He begged for forgiveness but it was already too late. Just as it's too late for you,_ " she whispered. Her hand moved to my side and began to squeeze so that her nails slowly sunk into my flesh, digging in deeper and deeper. I sucked in a breath and used both hands to try and pry her away. My mind was on overdrive now. I was desperate to survive. So desperate, that I had no clue why I thought my next idea was a good one, but it wasn't like I could take it back because as soon as it popped into my head I acted. My hands released her wrist and shot up to bury in her hair. I saw her eyes widen slightly in shock before I yanked her into a kiss. Her cold but full lips pressed to mine as I held her there, hoping it would stop her in time.

I waited a torturous minute before she began to respond. The way her lips moved on mine was nothing like the killer I knew her as so far. It was so tender that I couldn't help reacting. Her nails pulled away and I flinched at the pain but kept her lips busy. She wrapped her arms around my waist and pulled me closer. Her tongue slipped into my mouth to slide against mine. It flicking to the roof of my mouth before exiting. She tasted like smoke and ash, something fleeting but aching to be more. She pressed her lips to mine one last time before pulling away. She was taking deep but steady breaths while I was panting. I'd never felt anything that strong before. It was passion and pain, love and hate, yearning and neglect. So many emotions hit me and I could only begin to guess at what she had been feeling all these years. It was then when I knew.

"It hurt you to kill him, didn't it? You still loved him," I stated with certainty. Her slightly melancholy expression flared into intense anger in a flash.

" _Get out,_ " she growled. Her eyes darkened from what I realized were a pretty blue-green to an inky black before glowing yellow. Her teeth sharpened and the demon powering her battered soul took over to rear its ugly face. She grabbed me by the front of my shirt and dragged me out of the room to toss me to the floor by the front door. She didn't even give me time to get up before she yanked the door open, picked me back up, and then threw me out. I hit every edge of the three short steps outside and collapsed on the hard concrete walkway. I looked up just in time to see her sneer and then slam the door shut. Now that I was out of the oppressive house I realized how fatigued I was. She also seemed more…solid, than before. Like she had gotten stronger. Was I unwittingly providing her strength by being around her? I shook off my stupor and picked myself up. I headed home with more wounds and my lips burning from the kiss. I remembered every second of it vividly and I was ashamed to say that it wasn't at all unpleasant.

"What's wrong with me?" I asked myself aloud. I spent the rest of the day trying to keep my mind off the demon lurking in my shadow and picked the most normal thing to waste my time doing after I cleaned up my recent injuries. That was pigging out in front of the TV. I fell asleep there and woke up the next morning with an aching back and a crick in my neck. I cracked my back and tried to sooth my neck but it still ached. If it was at all possible I felt even more tired. I repeated yesterday morning's routine and then returned to try again. It was strange to me when I stepped up to the front door and noticed that I wasn't as scared. God forbid I was getting used to her. I rolled my eyes and entered, hoping she wasn't too pissed. She didn't make herself known when I entered. The pantry door was open and so was the hidden door when I checked the kitchen. She was out here alright, but why hadn't she shown herself yet?

How did she keep getting out for that matter? Was she really getting stronger? I sighed and ran a hand through my hair while I headed back to the living room. I plopped on the plush couch which felt a thousand times better than the one in my hotel room. I flopped over and sunk into it, letting my tense body relax as much as I could, which wasn't much but I couldn't complain. Look where I was after all. I managed to fall asleep and into a dream I was seriously questioning. I've been guilty of many erotic dreams with few centered on me and Beck, but this really topped it. Her pale and curvy frame fit to mine perfectly as we moved fluidly with each other. I was moaning softly and she was exploring my body with her mouth, her tongue and teeth making brief appearances. When her hand finally fell lower to increase the pleasure her mouth moved to my ear. I groaned when she finally touched me and she panted with yearning.

"That's right, West. Come for me," she whispered. My brows furrowed in confusion and I looked into her face to see her smirk heartlessly at me. Coldness brushed my thigh and I jerked awake with a start. My eyes snapped open to see her perched lazily on the back of the couch like a cat. Her bare foot had brushed my leg. That's what woke me up.

"What was that?" I demanded, knowing she had something to do with it.

" _The memory of my first time,_ " she answered simply. I blushed and looked away but I knew she had seen and was taking great joy in making me uncomfortable.

"Why?" I questioned.

" _Why did I share that with you or why did I show it in that way?_ " she asked to clarify.

"Both," I replied. She chuckled darkly and shifted to lay on her back.

" _You're right. I still loved him when I ended his pathetic life. I couldn't help it. I loved him, but my hate was stronger. What really pushed me was finding out that I was his quick fuck on the side, someone to play out his sick fantasies with. He had already found the woman he wanted to have a child with, the same child I let grow up to continue to give me the victims I would enjoy torturing for many years to come,_ " she answered, starting out terse only for a satisfied tone to bleed into her voice. I shuddered and she grinned before rolling back over on her stomach so that her hand fell down to brush my jaw. I jerked away from her tingling touch. She just grinned wider and tapped my nose teasingly.

" _As for changing it up a little, well, I've gotten curious. Years of playing that memory over and over in my head has gotten boring. I always made a point to kill off the direct male descendant then his wife then the female kiddos before the male ones. I would allow the last one to have offspring and start it all over again. But your father only had two daughters. Now what was I to do? Simple, I killed off the oldest and now I'm left with you. Every male Vega I've encountered shared his face and it gave me even more incentive to torture him. But you, you have those features now and you're a girl. I've never tried seducing a female before and I'm curious,_ " she explained flippantly. I was shocked to say the least, but something else caught my attention.

"Wait, you seduced every male Vega?" I repeated. She shrugged.

" _Tried to. Some didn't give in, others were too young, but the ones who did give in got the worst of my hate because it proved that no matter what they had; a wife, children, they were no better than the man who took my life,_ " she said with venom in every word.

"So you tested them?" I further questioned, wanting to get as far away as I could from her curiosity.

" _I guess you could say that,_ " she answered, noncommittal. She lifted my chin and smiled like she found a new toy, which I realized I was. I shivered and she noticed. I watched her eyes grow stormy and become half lidded, a raging sea barely kept in control. She slid off her perch to settle on top of me, her legs straddling my waist. Her proximity sent my heart skittering. I really hoped it wasn't because I was turned on, but because I was frightened. I couldn't think straight enough to decide which, pun not intended but still glaringly there.

" _Ooh, slow down there, Vega. You're already getting…excited,_ " she whispered as she leaned closer, her hand over my rapidly beating heart. She slid it down to groped me unashamedly. I couldn't help reacting but I did hold back the moan I wanted to let loose. Her lips pressed to my neck, an icy touch right over my racing pulse, sending ice through my veins to corrupt my body. My head fell to the side in submission, seeing no other way out. I would hate to get worse for saying no. I was fully aware of what would happen but it was that or death. I didn't want it, right? Right? Her lips touched down on my jaw and then back on my neck before her tongue drew an icy trail across my flesh and I shuddered. She chuckled and bit at my neck while her hands began to roam. My own hands gripped at the couch but I found I wanted to touch her, confirm if she was real, so I did. I gripped her by the waist and she smirked.

" _You want me?_ " she mumbled, nipping at my ear. Her hands slipped under my shirt and I couldn't stop myself from arching into her when she went back to touching me.

"Will saying yes get me killed sooner? You know, seeing as I'm not male and I'm not married your normal rules don't apply," I shot back, feeling oddly playful. Her hand gripped me just right and I bit my lip, trying to keep my hips still. Why was this turning me on? This was so wrong, but it felt so good.

" _But you have a boyfriend,_ " she stated searchingly. Surprise alighted on my face.

"How did you know?" I asked, then wished I hadn't said anything. I didn't notice she was baiting me before it was too late.

" _I didn't, but thanks for telling me. I wonder, will it hurt **you** more to know I've stolen you from him or will it hurt **him** more to know that I've stolen you?_ " she pondered. I wondered the same thing. At this point in time I wasn't sure. All I was worried about was whether she'd kill me on the spot or not. Totally not because I really wanted to see where this was going.

"Which one is the one you're looking for?" I asked her with a smirk of my own, hoping it threw her off enough not to further question. She smirked and kissed me hard but pulled away before it could deepen.

" _Making others suffer is all I ever look forward to, but I love making your family hurt more. So will this hurt you or not, Vega?_ " she prompted.

"It doesn't matter. Even if I liked it you can still make it hurt," I answered. She nodded thoughtfully and dug her nails into my side unexpectedly. I flinched and gasped.

" _Like that?_ " she said with an amused tilt of her head.

"Yeah," I breathed out, trying to ignore the pain.

" _But emotionally, would knowing you fucked me, throwing your loyalty to him out the window, would that hurt him emotionally more than it would you?_ " she elucidated. It took me some time to work through the haze on my mind. I wondered how the Vega men could resist this and then found myself not blaming them as even I didn't stand a chance and I never thought about women that way. I began thinking about my dad and if he gave in when her nails brought me back to the present. I yelped as they dragged down, drawing blood. I quickly fumbled for words through the pain and let whatever fall from my mouth, hoping they would stop the pain and nothing more.

"Y-yes, it would," I stammered. A twisted smile lit up her face before she leaned in so close that our noses were touching.

" _Good,_ " she whispered against my lips. Her eyes burned gold and then her lips were on mine. My hands tightened on her hips. I let her invade my mouth while my hands snuck under her tattered shirt to feel her taut stomach. She purred and pressed into my hands which brought her hips pressing into me too. I moaned and pulled down on her, silently asking for more. My mouth deviated from hers once her tongue withdrew and I trailed kisses under her jaw to her neck. I tasted her skin, a sweet flavor assaulting my tongue, and she growled low.

I bit her firmly and her back bowed, her hips crashing into mine, her breath coming out hard. I let out a breathy moan. I threw back my head and pulled on her to do it again. She rocked into me, increasing the friction. She continued to move against me and I reciprocated. Her hands removed themselves from under my shirt to grip at the couch, her nails tearing the material. She thrust into me instinctively now, a rhythm building between us and bringing both of us closer to the edge. A drawn out moan fell from her lips and then they were back on mine. I held her as she moved and let the growing pleasure become enjoyable. She broke the kiss and brought her panting mouth to my ear again.

" _Vega, say my name,_ " she demanded. I shuddered, close to my release, but like she sensed it her nails returned to warn me to heed her command. A scatter of names ran through my head before one stuck and I didn't know how or why but I found myself answering.

"Jade," I panted softly. She whimpered and ground down on me and then I was coming, my body tensing and my mind overcome with pleasure. I called out her name again and gripped her tightly, feeling her buck once more before trembling through her own climax. She rested her weight on her hands and ducked her head so that I couldn't meet her eyes. When she did finally look up I was surprised to see her look so human, weak and vulnerable, with a light in her eyes I never saw before. It dawned on me that this was the girl from the past, the living one who loved and thought she had been loved in return until her heart was crushed. I unthinkingly reached out to brush away a lock of hair and then cup her cheek. It was warm. A small smile curled the corner of her lips, free of ill intent as she searched my gaze.

But then it drained away and she seemed to remember everything again. She smacked my hand away with a snarl, but for those precious few seconds I saw the real her, and I thought she was beautiful. If I had been my ancestor I would have never done what he did, because this girl, she was something special. I could see it. She was genuine, and she didn't deserve what she got. I opened my mouth to say her name but she shook her head sharply, a warning, and got off me. Instantly, I felt cold without her. She paced the room a few times, growing angrier and angrier, before the demon in her began to show again. I knew it was time I left. I got up on shaky legs and walked past her to get to the door when she grabbed me by the wrist. She held me there but didn't say anything. I waited for her to either say something or let me go.

" _It was a trick question,_ " she mumbled. I questioned her with my gaze until her dark eyes found mine.

" _Had you said you would be more hurt I would gladly make you feel that regret, but if you said he would have been more hurt I would be happy to cause him that pain. So either way, it would have turned out the same,_ " she explained evenly. I blinked at her subtle confession. So basically, she just needed an excuse. She wanted me and she wasn't going to take no for an answer. I merely nodded and she let me go. I turned away and left, deciding on walking home. I needed a long walk so I could think. By the time I was back in my hotel room I hadn't gotten any closer to solving the mystery that was Jade West, only that her name was just as beautiful as she was. I sighed and decided on a shower and something to eat before lazing around again until bed. I ended up needing to take a cold shower when I woke up in the morning. I ate a quick breakfast and fended off calls from Beck and Andre who stopped when I asked. Beck continued to bug until I turned off my phone altogether.

I was a second away from asking him if he did this because he didn't trust me, so I was offended, until I remembered the other day and felt guilty. I shoved the thoughts away. I didn't need my transgressions bothering me on top of the demon no doubt waiting for me to show up so she could continue to taunt me. I entered the house and searched for her. I found her looking through the trunk I had been looking through the other day. She glanced at me over her shoulder before going back to what she was doing, which looked to be spreading the items around her after examining them. When did I get so comfortable with her that I forgot she wasn't even human, just a resurrected body with the help of a demon. She dug into the trunk again and her back straightened out stiffly when she encountered something. I moved closer to see she was holding another old photograph. This one was a picture of my ancestor standing next to a woman who looked very familiar.

" _Lily, his sister. She was two years younger than him, the same age as me,_ " Jade spoke up. I could detect strain in her voice and an unusual sadness along with yearning in her gaze. I looked from the woman in the picture to Jade running her fingers over the faded photo and then back to the image. I had thought the expression she wore was because of my ancestor, but then it struck me like a bus going a hundred miles an hour and I began to piece things together, growing colder yet wired at the same time. Jade chuckled and set the picture down before standing and turning to me.

" _Did you figure it out yet?_ " she inquired, a sad smile on her face. I took a step back and bumped into the bed behind me.

"You really loved her, not her brother," I mumbled in awe. She only nodded, waiting for me to continue. The pain in her expression told me she didn't want me to but it had to be said.

"You fell in love with her but you were afraid of your feelings and what they would bring if others found out. I imagine that time and age didn't tolerate such things. So to cover it up you turned to the next best thing, her brother. You convinced yourself you loved him, and then you really did. But then you found out he was using you the whole time, that right when you felt everything was right really it was far from that," I spoke with wide eyes. She looked down and her brows creased in a way that made me think she was about to cry, but then her scowl returned and there was no sign of tears.

" _I was so furious I killed him, his wife, and that wretched child of his,_ " she hissed.

"Then how-?" I began only to stop when the answer came to me.

"You let Lily live," I whispered. This time her whole face fell and tears gathered in her eyes.

" _I couldn't do it. I may have loved him but I loved her so much more. We couldn't be together and I took out my anger on her brother instead. George Vega, that asshole. She died peacefully of old age while I targeted her children and their children and so on. I stayed clear of the females, killing them right after their father and leaving the youngest males because I was afraid I would come across another Lily. But then you and your family came along. So far there had always been at least one male in the family, but this time it was two females. Your sister didn't have much of the Vega traits in her, but you…you did. And to top it off you look just like her,_ " she ranted, her watering eyes fixating on me. That was why Lily looked so familiar. She looked a lot like me. I was blown away by the revolution. Jade's whole existence had been such a letdown that I wasn't really surprised she resorted to such fatal payback. Jade's growl was animalistic when she began to stalk towards me. I tried backing away once again, forgot the bed was there and almost fell on it, when she grabbed a handful of my shirt in both her fists, keeping me up.

" _I hate you so much, Vega. I hate you for looking like her, for being an exact replica with her personality and all that I wish I could kill you too. So that I could just be done with it and move on, but I can't! I still can't do it,_ " she mourned in agony. I marveled at the woman in front of me. Through all this and living a half-life with a demon inside her she was still capable of love. Her twisted soul never infected her heart. Her grip tightened on me until her already pale hands turned whiter, the bones of her knuckles threatening to split skin. I was aware that she was shaking. I raised my hands and carefully brought them to her face, slowly so that she could register what I was doing. In that moment all I wanted to do was ease Jade of her never-ending pain. I thought of absolutely nothing else, so when I captured her lips with mine, it was with pure and unhindered passion that she deserved. Her hands relaxed and then moved to wind around my neck, pulling me against her.

I slipped into her mouth and tangled my tongue with hers as my hands settled on her hips, my thumbs rubbing circles on her bare skin. She groaned and pressed into me. The rush of love and returned passion set my body ablaze. I let her push me back on the wide bed and disconnected our kiss to scoot back while she pulled off my shoes to toss them and then followed me. She shoved me down as soon as I was further up the bed and our lips resumed their caress. She deepened it and dragged her hands down my torso. I expected nails but was pleasantly surprised when it was just her fingers. They explored and kneaded and forced a moan from my mouth. Jade's tongue swept at my own and then retreated so that she could travel down my neck. She quickly removed my shirt and ran her hands gently across my stomach. Her eyes flicked up to mine and she grinned.

" _I can finally have you,_ " she whispered, leaning down to kiss right above the edge of my bra. I bit my lip and she chuckled. It was a happy sound unlike the dark ones I had heard before.

"Jade," I called to her, earning a shiver from her that I felt. I immediately had her attention. That was why she had wanted me to say her name before. She wanted to pretend it was Lily yearning for her touch, not George. It was why she had influenced my dream to be the way it was. Her first time had been with George but she wanted it to be Lily. I coaxed her closer with a hand on her chin and kissed her before brushing her nose with mine affectionately.

"Will you make love to me?" I inquired, feeling in my heart that it was what she desired all this time to hear, to have her true love accept her, want her. Her expression softened at that and the side of her I saw yesterday returned. There was no trace of darkness.

" _I thought you'd never ask,_ " she mumbled back, kissing me again. I smiled against her lips and played with the hem of her shirt until she backed away so that I could pull it off. Her slender hands then found the button and zipper of my pants, removing them from hindering her and slipping them off. I yanked at her own pants and she kicked them the rest of the way off before slamming our lips back together. I let my hands take in her body before sliding behind her back to drag my nails over smooth skin and flexing muscle. My hands then came around to her front to admire the exposed flesh of her chest, making her moan and writhe, her hips creating the friction I craved. A husky moan clawed out of my throat and she whimpered from the sound alone. She pawed at my bra and got it off me quickly, her mouth descending instead of her hands as I had done. My hands moved to grip at her back, bringing her flush against me as she worked, forcing another moan from me. My back arched into her mouth as her tongue swirled over my sensitive skin. Her hips stirred and she groaned.

"Jade. Oh hell, Jade, please," I pleaded, dying for her to touch me where I needed her the most. She pulled back to look into my eyes as her hands moved to slip my panties off. A look of pure desire shone in her gaze along with love I had never witnessed before. She was utterly dedicated and I wanted every ounce of it for myself so that I could return it in full, giving her what she should have had a long time ago. She began to caress every inch of my body, worshiping what was hers. Her mouth occasionally touched down to grace my skin and I shivered every time. She worked down until she was dropping a kiss on my navel.

" _Vega,_ " she mumbled in a heartrendingly painful yet loving voice. Tears came to my eyes but I blinked them away.

"Take me, Jade," I begged her. She looked up at me before sliding between my legs and trailing kisses back up my body until her lips met mine. Her left hand hitched up my right leg and I hooked it on her hip, then she braced herself on her left hand so that she could use her right to drift down my body and stop at my navel again. Her eyes followed her hand and then they were back on my face, studying me. I was so lost in her gaze that when she finally entered me I gasped and my hips rose. My leg squeezed her and my eyes shut. I could feel her eyes on me but I couldn't find it in me to open my own as her finger was driving me insane.

"M-more," I requested. She hummed confirmation and added a finger. I moaned and rolled my hips up to meet her probing fingers with every stroke.

"Ah, faster," I asked next. She thrust into me and I cried out at the unexpected rough entry, heightening my arousal. Then she was pumping into me with a fast but even pace. Her mouth joined her hand and then I began to moan with abandon. I couldn't believe how great it felt. It was only a matter of time before I burst. I could feel it building, the heat pooling. In a way it was almost unbearable. My body was slick with sweat and so tense, wound up tight. I writhed without control, her name falling from my mouth repeatedly without me fully realizing it. I fought to lock eyes with her when I was seconds from letting go. I gripped the sheets under us and grit my teeth before my body suddenly stiffened as I climaxed, screaming Jade's name in ecstasy. She licked me one last time before moving to hold me behind my back with her free hand and continue to plunge into me until my already sensitive walls clenched and I was coming again. A ragged cry left me this time before I trembled and fell limp to the bed. Jade kissed me firmly and then pulled back with a full blown grin of satisfaction.

"You're amazing," I remarked tiredly. She shook her head and laid down next to me. I took a few steadying breaths and then rolled over so that I was straddling her now.

"Your turn," I whispered, letting my husky voice breathe against her ear. Her hand found its way into my hair and pulled me down to kiss me. When it broke I grazed my hand down her body and brushed against her once, happy to find she was more than ready for me. She let out a breath and her eye lids fluttered at the sensation. I passed over her a few more times until she was growling impatiently. She cupped my face in her hands and brought me eye to eye with her.

" _Don't tease me,_ " she warned. I smirked but did as she asked, dipping into her once and watching as her body instantly reacted.

" _Vega, oh fuck,_ " she groaned through clenched teeth. I already started with two fingers and slid them in and out slowly. My thumb helped add to her pleasure and soon her hips were bucking to the rhythm I set. She was panting heavily and her sharp nails clawed my back but nothing could distract me from the sounds released from her and the expression of pure bliss on her face. I leaned down so that my mouth could graze anywhere I could reach on her elegant body. I licked over her skin and then began to nip and that's when her legs began to shake. She was so close. I smoothed my free hand up her toned torso and then dropped my mouth to bite viciously at her side, sure to leave a mark on her fair skin. Her scream of climax reached my ears along with something I wasn't expecting to hear. I had thought she had Lily in mind but I was wrong.

" _Tori!_ " she whimpered, clinging to me as her body shook. I stared at her a moment before pumping into her at a faster pace. Her breath hitched and she gasped, caught off guard. Her body lifted off the bed when she came a second time. When she fell back down I slipped out of her to caress her inner thigh and then leaned over to kiss the racing pulse in her neck. She opened her eyes to look at me and then she laughed, a joyful sound I loved hearing. She rolled us over so that she was over me again. She captured my lips with hers and began grinding into me. I hummed into her mouth and stroked her tongue with my own as our bodies moved in harmony. I was just about to lose myself in the feeling consuming me again.

That was when my eyes caught something at the doorway and I gasped. It was Beck. What was he doing here? He looked devastated. He turned on his heel and left. The weird thing was, I couldn't find it in me to care as much as I should. I heard Jade chuckle, a mix of that darkness tainting the sound, but happiness was still woven in it. I looked up at her just as she thrust into me, her body rolling seductively against mine. I groaned, completely enamored and addicted to her. She held me as she increased the pace until we were both moaning our approval. She buried her face in the crook of my neck and I tossed my head back as my arousal hit its peak again. Sultry words reached my ear but I couldn't make them out before pain lanced at my shoulder.

"Shit, Jade!" I complained but it cut off with a whine when the pain managed to shake another orgasm from me. Jade moaned and her body signaled that she had successfully gotten off on the pain she caused, or maybe the taste of my blood. I rode out my high to hear Jade laughing triumphantly when I was able to focus again. Blood stained the corner of her mouth and I was vaguely aware that it was my blood. She just followed my gaze and wiped it off with her thumb then licked it off before kissing me again. I could taste my blood in her mouth. She pulled away and I noticed her sly smirk was back.

" _My, my, Vega. I didn't think you'd like pain with your pleasure,_ " she teased.

"Well, well, I knew that you'd like pain with your pleasure," I retorted just as playfully. She only shrugged, a hand brushing over the bite mark I left on her side.

"At least I just left you with a bruise. You almost tore out my neck," I continued, brushing at the blood drying on my skin and wincing when I touched the ragged flesh. She took my hand in hers and licked the blood off before licking the blood from my shoulder too. The feeling of her tongue swiping over the wound was a mix of pain and pleasure I tried to hide but Jade's smirk said she already knew how I felt.

" _Keep in mind, that if I wanted to tear your throat out I would have the first day you came here. But to be honest I would have waited until now to do it_ ," she admitted.

"Why?" I inquired.

" _I got what I wanted from you and now that your energy revitalized me I'm more solid and corporeal than I was days ago. Therefore more damage inflicting more pain,_ " she concluded. So I **was** strengthening her. But she said it so seriously that now I was beginning to get nervous.

" _You don't have to worry. You're not going anywhere. I need you here,_ " she assured me, nuzzling at my jaw. I allowed a small smile which she nurtured into a grin with a loving kiss.

" _Now, you have someone you need to talk to, don't you?_ " she remarked. I remembered Beck and felt slight guilt at forgetting him so easily once again.

"Yeah," I agreed. She nodded and then removed herself from me. I got dressed while Jade lazily threw on her own clothes. I was done before her and left to search for my most likely ex-boyfriend. I saw him pacing the yard when I passed the front door and glanced out the window it was fitted with. I pulled open the door and jogged out, my bare feet warmed by the sidewalk. I came up behind him and touched his back. He went rigid and spun around with a mix of emotions passing across his face.

"Beck…" I began, but he grunted and looked away.

"I prefer not to make this awkward, Tori. I was worried about you and came all the way out here to make sure you were ok," he told me, his voice strained.

"I see you're doing really well," he remarked angrily. I tried to speak but I couldn't say anything. I couldn't even get an apology out.

"I'm just going to go home now. Whatever this is better not be some phase or a fling because I'm not taking you back. This hurt me too much to do that," he went on. I licked my lips nervously and tasted Jade on them. I fought not to do it again.

"I'm so sorry, Beck. You don't know how sorry I am. Can I just explain-" I requested, but he shook his head.

"There's nothing to explain. I'm going home. I won't tell Andre by the way. I'll leave that up to you to do," he said in farewell, leaving me standing there to watch him walk quickly down the street. That's right, I would have to explain this all to Andre, but I felt he would understand where Beck hadn't. Not to mention I had to let Robbie and Cat know I was fine. I stood there until I couldn't see Beck anymore and then returned inside. Jade was splayed out on the couch, a calm expression on her face. Her eyes flicked to me, and without saying a word, she motioned me over so that she could wrap me in her arms.

" _He'll be fine. At least you didn't pretend to love him just to get in his pants and then murder him when you were tired of him,_ " she stated in a deadpan.

"That's overly cynical and morbid of you," I replied. She just shrugged.

" _But true_ ," she responded. I nodded and resolved to push it all out of my mind and just relax in Jade's cool embrace. I didn't miss the warmth that I should be feeling but I didn't care anymore about what I should and shouldn't want. What I wanted was just what I wanted and that was that. And what I wanted was to be with Jade.

"Will you be able to leave here and come with me back home?" I asked her. She looked at me before her gaze drifted away again.

" _You've made me solid, very much a part of this world again. Actually, I feel more alive than I have in years. The binds that tied me here are no longer strong enough to hold me so I'll be able to follow you wherever you go,_ " she answered. I nodded and held her tighter.

"Jade?" I began thoughtfully.

" _Yes, Vega?_ " she responded.

"I think I might be falling for you," I confessed, playing with her hand as I spoke shyly. She smiled crookedly and glanced down at me.

" _Good, because I'm going to stalk you for the rest of your life. So don't get any ideas about cheating on me or trying to get rid of me because I'll kill anyone you cheat on me with and I'll take you with me if you try to get rid of me,_ " Jade mumbled. I shook my head but let out a content sigh. I never expected this outcome but I had to say I was okay with it. Jade hummed next to me and tightened her hold on me possessively. I let my body relax against hers and closed my eyes. The last thought I had was of my eventual death and whether I would join Jade in Hell or not. Maybe there wasn't an actual Hell and we were reincarnated instead, or we simply just disappeared, never to return. I didn't know how it went, but either way, I vowed that whatever happened I would remain by Jade's side as I knew she would forever be by mine.


End file.
